godspeed intercooler
12-03-13, 06:08 PM
#27
Personally I don't use them but I know that there are a bunch of bmw guys using ebay smic's originally for FD's as front mounts on 335i's. Aside from no proper mounting points for that application out of the box they seem to be performing on par with the high dollar ones and have made pretty solid power on that platform.
12-03-13, 07:21 PM
#28
You have to think carefully about what you buy and where it comes from, and what you get for the price.
I buy some things from Ebay, but I will stick to these parts being either:
-Used brand name parts I can refurbish again (99% safe bet).
-New (verified genuine)brand name parts (99% safe bet)
-No-name Ebay brand part as long as it is a simple part (Chinese silicone hose coupler, etc) and not to be used in a critical function or area that will cause death or accident should it fail.
What I won't buy on Ebay:
-Cheaper no-name brand part that is highly complex, has multiple possible failure points and if it fails, may cause some expensive damage or death (Headlight assemblies from Hong Kong, or aluminum wheel nuts made in China by a no-name factory, or any engine parts/suspension parts/brake parts or electrical parts as a rule)
If you replace your factory headlights (as an example I've seen on a BMW) with something cheaply made from Hong Kong, they may not be UV resistant and the rubber seals will dry out and dry rot in 12 months time. Maybe you have to cut your wiring loom to solder a different weird bulb holder on to suit the new lights, or maybe they fail on you at 2am in the morning and you hit a tree or person.
You replace perfectly good steel factory wheel nuts with some very cheaply made aluminum "racing" wheel nuts from an outlet factory in China on Ebay. They are not made of the same high grade alloy that the brand name ones are, and no materials engineering research has gone into the alloy grade or tensile specs. They loosen and strip off the studs at 120mph and the last thing you see is your front wheel overtake you.
On the other hand (as I just did) you're tired of looking at that old dirty rubber coupler from the airbox to the turbo inlet pipe. It doesnt hold boost anyways and never moves. You order a generic Ebay-brand silicone coupler instead. Chances are that decision will not kill you or your engine or a bystander. The silicone may be a cheap grade and may degrade over time, but its not going to result in death or maiming or a huge $$$ engine rebuild.
Be smart
I buy some things from Ebay, but I will stick to these parts being either:
-Used brand name parts I can refurbish again (99% safe bet).
-New (verified genuine)brand name parts (99% safe bet)
-No-name Ebay brand part as long as it is a simple part (Chinese silicone hose coupler, etc) and not to be used in a critical function or area that will cause death or accident should it fail.
What I won't buy on Ebay:
-Cheaper no-name brand part that is highly complex, has multiple possible failure points and if it fails, may cause some expensive damage or death (Headlight assemblies from Hong Kong, or aluminum wheel nuts made in China by a no-name factory, or any engine parts/suspension parts/brake parts or electrical parts as a rule)
If you replace your factory headlights (as an example I've seen on a BMW) with something cheaply made from Hong Kong, they may not be UV resistant and the rubber seals will dry out and dry rot in 12 months time. Maybe you have to cut your wiring loom to solder a different weird bulb holder on to suit the new lights, or maybe they fail on you at 2am in the morning and you hit a tree or person.
You replace perfectly good steel factory wheel nuts with some very cheaply made aluminum "racing" wheel nuts from an outlet factory in China on Ebay. They are not made of the same high grade alloy that the brand name ones are, and no materials engineering research has gone into the alloy grade or tensile specs. They loosen and strip off the studs at 120mph and the last thing you see is your front wheel overtake you.
On the other hand (as I just did) you're tired of looking at that old dirty rubber coupler from the airbox to the turbo inlet pipe. It doesnt hold boost anyways and never moves. You order a generic Ebay-brand silicone coupler instead. Chances are that decision will not kill you or your engine or a bystander. The silicone may be a cheap grade and may degrade over time, but its not going to result in death or maiming or a huge $$$ engine rebuild.
Be smart
12-04-13, 09:35 AM
#31
the only Ebay part I purchased.. was a radiator .. and I returned it , It didn't have a bleeder at hte botom , the dimensions were to big , and it was missing the bracket that bolts the radiator . to the car LOL
apart from that I have ordered ebay couplers .. which haven't given me any issues even under boost .
Ironically , I purchased a SPECTER coupler from the discount autoparts stores which distorted under heat and kept blowing off .
so ... ebay > advance / discount / autopart store crud LOL
apart from that I have ordered ebay couplers .. which haven't given me any issues even under boost .
Ironically , I purchased a SPECTER coupler from the discount autoparts stores which distorted under heat and kept blowing off .
so ... ebay > advance / discount / autopart store crud LOL
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